Door Handover Guide: Pack, Keys & DLP India 2026

Door handover is the moment a finished home or fit-out formally passes from contractor to you — and it is far more than being handed a bunch of keys. A proper handover at project completion is a transaction of documents and proof: a written handover pack, a keys register, the as-built door and ironmongery schedule, the warranties, and a final snag list signed off, all wrapped inside a defect liability period that keeps the contractor on the hook for months afterwards. Doors are among the most-touched components in any building, so what you receive — and what you check — at handover decides whether a faulty latch or a missing intumescent seal stays the contractor's problem or quietly becomes yours. This guide walks you through the door handover process, the pack you should insist on, and exactly what to verify before you accept and release final payment. For the wider picture of how doors are fitted and accepted, start at the complete door guide.

What door handover means at project completion

Handover is the contractual end of the works: the contractor declares the doors complete, you inspect and accept them, and possession (and the maintenance burden) transfers to you. In Indian practice it is the point at which final payment is released — usually less a retention held against defects — and at which the clock starts on the defect liability period (DLP), commonly 6 to 12 months on residential and small fit-out contracts. CPWD specifications and IS 1200 (methods of measurement) and IS 1003 (timber panelled and glazed doors) set the workmanship benchmark your handover is measured against, so "complete" means complete to that standard, not merely "the doors are hung". A handover done well is a clean line in the sand: every door is recorded, every key is accounted for, every warranty is in your hands, and every outstanding snag is written down with a date to fix it. A handover done badly leaves you owning undocumented doors, unlabelled keys and a verbal promise — which is no promise at all once the contractor has moved on.

The door handover pack — what you should receive

The heart of a good handover is the pack: a folder (paper, PDF or both) that documents every door so you can operate, maintain, warranty and, if needed, dispute it years later. Insist on it before you sign. The flow below shows how the pack is assembled at completion and what each part contains.

What each part is for

The as-built door schedule is the master list of every door as actually built, by reference number; the ironmongery (hardware) schedule lists, per door-set, the hinges, lock, lever, closer, seals, stops and bolts with their finishes, so you can re-order an exact match. The keys register accounts for every key, and the warranties are your route to free replacement when a closer or lock fails early. The care / O&M notes tell you how to keep the doors well — lubrication, finish care, what not to do — and the defect liability period sits over all of it. Each of these is detailed below and in the linked spokes.

The as-built door and ironmongery schedule

During the build, the design carries a door schedule and an ironmongery schedule; at handover these must be reconciled to what was actually installed — the as-built version — because substitutions happen on every site. The as-built door and ironmongery documentation is the single most useful thing in your pack: it lets you order the right replacement hinge two years later, prove what was specified if a fire door is queried, and brief a maintenance carpenter without guesswork. Insist that any on-site substitution is recorded, not silently swapped. See door as-built documentation for what a complete as-built set contains and how to check it against the original specification.

Keys register and keying schedule

Keys are where handovers most often go wrong — a missing key found six months later is no longer the contractor's problem unless it was logged at handover. A proper keys register lists every lock by door reference, the number of keys handed over, and any keying schedule (master, sub-master and differ keying), so you know which key opens what and how many copies exist. Count the keys against the register in front of the contractor, label them to match the door numbers, and note any keys still outstanding as a snag with a date. If smart or digital locks are fitted, the "key" handover also covers app access, admin credentials and reset instructions — make sure these transfer to you, not stay with the installer. The door key handover spoke covers keying schedules and smart-lock credentials in detail, and the door key schedule builder helps you draw up and check the register.

Warranties, care instructions and the defect liability period

Three things protect you after handover, and all three should be in the pack. Warranties cover early failure of hardware and leaves — typically a year or more on closers and locks, often longer on the leaf itself; keep the dated invoices, because a warranty claim usually needs proof of purchase (see door warranty claims). Care and O&M instructions tell you how to keep doors operating well — periodic hinge and closer lubrication, finish care, and the musts on fire doors (never wedge them open, keep seals intact) — and a tidy door care handover pack gathers these per door. Over both sits the defect liability period: during the DLP the contractor must return and rectify listed defects and early failures at no cost to you, which is why your final snag list and a retention held against it matter so much. See door defect liability for how the DLP works and how to invoke it.

Final snag sign-off — what to check before you accept

Do not sign the handover until you have walked every door yourself. Carry the as-built schedule and tick each door off, checking the few things that matter: gaps are an even 2 to 4mm, the leaf stays put when half-open, it latches first time with a light push, any closer self-closes fully into the latch, the lever operates one-handed at the 800 to 1100mm accessible band (RPwD Act 2016 / Harmonised Guidelines), and the finish is free of runs and scratches. On fire doors, this is a life-safety check, not a finish niggle: confirm gaps are ≤3mm (4mm maximum), that continuous intumescent and smoke seals are present and unbroken, that the door self-closes fully from any angle, and that "Fire door — keep shut" signage is fixed, per NBC 2016 and IS 3614. Anything short of the standard goes on the final snag list with a date to fix it — handover does not mean every snag is gone, it means every snag is recorded and owned by the contractor inside the DLP. Do the formal sweep with the door snagging routine and confirm each door against the door acceptance criteria before you sign. The door handover pack generator assembles the schedule, keys register, warranties and sign-off sheet into one printable pack so nothing is left undocumented. Hold a sensible retention against open snags, sign once you are satisfied the list is complete, and keep the whole pack safe — it is the proof you will reach for the first time something goes wrong.

Frequently asked questions

What should a door handover pack contain?

A complete door handover pack contains the as-built door and ironmongery schedule, a keys register and keying schedule, all hardware and leaf warranties with dated invoices, care and O&M instructions, and the final snag list signed off with rectification dates. It sits inside the defect liability period, during which the contractor must fix listed defects at no cost to you.

What is the defect liability period for doors in India?

The defect liability period (DLP) is the window after handover during which the contractor must return and rectify listed defects and early failures free of charge. On Indian residential and small fit-out contracts it commonly runs 6 to 12 months. A retention held back from the final payment is usually released only at the end of the DLP, once outstanding snags are cleared.

What should I check before accepting door handover?

Walk every door against the as-built schedule. Check gaps are an even 2–4mm, the leaf stays put when half-open, it latches first time, any closer self-closes fully, and the lever operates one-handed at 800–1100mm. On fire doors confirm gaps ≤3mm, continuous intumescent and smoke seals, full self-closing and "keep shut" signage. Record anything short as a dated snag before you sign.

Why do I need a keys register at handover?

A keys register accounts for every key by door reference, the number handed over, and any master or sub-master keying. Count the keys against it in front of the contractor and label them to the door numbers. Without a register, a key missing months later is no longer provably the contractor's responsibility. For smart locks, the register covers app access and admin credentials.

Does handover mean every door snag must be fixed first?

No. Handover means every snag is recorded and owned by the contractor, not that none remain. Outstanding items go on the final snag list with dates to fix, and they are rectified within the defect liability period. Hold a retention against open snags, re-inspect before releasing it, and keep the signed list with your handover pack.

How long should I keep the door handover documents?

Keep the entire pack for as long as you own the property. The as-built schedule lets you re-order an exact matching hinge, lock or leaf years later; the warranties and dated invoices back any claim; and the fire-rating records prove compliance if ever queried. Store a paper copy and a scanned PDF, and keep the keys register updated as you cut or retire keys.